Metalworking machine



July 26, 1938. F. H. LE JEUNE 2,124,923

' METALWORKING MACHINE Filed Feb: 15, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR FRANK. H.LQJELNE.

I ATTORNEYS July 26, 1938.

F. H. LE JEUNE 2,124,923

METALWORKING MACHINE Fild Feb. 15, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 [1V VE 1V TOR FRANK. H.LeJEUNE.

l A TTORNEYS July 26, 1938 F. H. LE JEUNE 2,124,923

METALWORRING MACHINE Filed Feb. 15, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 11V VENT OR I FRANK. H :Le JELIE BY l - ATTORN VS Patented July, 26,

r em

Frank H. be, .leune, Detroit, Mich; asslmor to Kelsey-Hayes Wheel Company. Detroit, Micln,

a corporation of Delaware Application February 15, 1937, Serial No. 125,867

3 Claim.

This invention relates generally to metal working machines and refers more particularly to apparatus for forming sheet metal discs and the like. v

One of the principal objects of the present invention resides in the provision of metal workingapparatus embodying means for fashionine a tubular element having an inwardly bowed flange at one end into a ring provided with a flat radial portion and a frusto-conical portion connected to the periphery of the radial portion by means of an axiallyextending annular portion. 0

- Another advantageous feature of this invention consists in the provision of metalworking I apparatus rendering it possible to form a disc or ring of the contour previously set forth from a tubular blank of the above character by a relatively simple punching operation. With the above in view, the present invention consists in thenovei construction of the several parts of the apparatus and in the manner in which these parts cooperate to perform the above functions; This novel arrangement will be more fully understood upon considering the following description of the apparatus in view of the accompanying drawings, wherein:-- I Figure l is a sectional view through a metal working machine constructed in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the parts in a difierent position;

Figure 3 is also a view similar to Figure 1 showing the several parts of the apparatus in still another position;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line id of Figure 3; and v Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view through a sheet metal blank of the type adapted to be fashioned by the metal working machine.

In general, a cupped blank A of the contour illustrated in Figure 5 is placed over the pilot It, with the inturned flange B seated on the raised pad ii and with the top edge of the tubular side walls C positioned for engagement by meets the upper end of the axially extending surface it with an outwardly and upwardly tapered frusto-conical surface It, with the result that continued downward movement of the punch flares the upper end of the tubular side walls C of the cupped blank A outwardly in the manner clearly illustrated in Figure 2. In-the present instance, the angle of taper of the trusto-conical surface" I6 is predetermined to afford the maximum degree of flare of the upper end of the blank A, without cracking or wrinkling the metal of the blank.

It will, oicourse, be understood that downward movement of the punch head i2 to flare the upper end of the cupped blank A exerts a downward thrust on the pad l and, in the present instance, this pad is in the form of an air cushion normally maintainedin its uppermost position by means of a constant pressure supplied by the air cylinder ll. With this arrangement; it will be apparent that when the downward thrust on the pad ii exceeds the pressure acting upon the pad to maintain the latter in its uppermost position, the pad is moved downwardly against this pressure. As the punch head 92 continues to'move downwardly, the upper portions of the annular side walls C are actually bent outwardly by the frusto-c'onical surface it toward a correspondingly tapered surface it on the upper side of a fixed annular die it having an internal diameter predetermined to slidably receive the annular pad ll. During this operation, the downward thrust on the pad ii exceeds the pressure tending to maintain this pad in its uppermost position and causes the pad to .move downwardly into the die !9. As the upper the punch head it upon downward movement of the latter from the position thereof shown in Figure 1. As the punch head i2 is initially lowered by the ram i3, the axiallyextending annular portion M at thelower end of the head slides into the upper end of the blank A to engage the radius or outwardIy curved portion is of the punch with the upper edge of the tubular side walls 0 of the blank A. The radius 85 conend of the pad ii moves downwardly beyond the inner edge of the frusto-conical surface is on the die, the axially extending portion it of the punch head forces the metal into the annular space provided between the outer surface of the annular portion M of the punch head and iii.

the internal annular surface of the die IS. The

construction is such that when the punch head it is in its lowermost position shown in Figure 3, wherein the frusto-conical surface 86 clamps the upper side wall portions of the blank A against the frusto-conical surface It of the die, the pad ii is in its lowermost position and the bottom surface iii of the punch head positively clamps the inturned'flange portion B of the blank against the top surface 2i of the pad ll. These surfaces are arranged in radial planes and cooperate with each other in forming the radial portion E of the finished ring D. The flow of metal in the radial portion E of the ring inwardly is obstructed by the adjacent cylindrical surfacegg the pilot i0 and, as a consequence, the latter determines the internal diameter of the finished ring. When the ring is completed, the latter is not only provided with the radial portion E, but alsocomprises a frusto-conical flange F connected to the periphery of the radial portion 20 by means of an axially extending portion G. i

Upon completion of the forming operation, the

punch headi2 is'xraised by the ram l3 and the ring D is ejected from the die l9 bythe pad ll as it is returned to its uppermost position by the air cylinder II. the punch head relative to the pad causes the strippers 22 to engage the periphery of the frustoconical flanges F on the ring D and to strip the latter from the punch head I 2. I

Referring now more in detail to the particular construction of the apparatus, it will be noted that the same comprises a bolster plate 25 secured in any suitable manner to the machine frame and having guide pins 25 secured thereto on diametrically opposite sides of the path of travel of the ram. The guide pins 28 extend upwardly from the bolster plate 25 and slidably engage in suitable bushings 21 secured to the ram l3. The bolster plate 25 is centrally recessed, as at 28, to receive the lower end of the pilot i0 and the latter is secured to the bolster plate by means of the studs 29. As pointed out above, the annular pad Ii receives the pilot iii, and this pad is guided throughout its vertical movement by engagement of a radial extension 30 at the,

lower end of the pad with the cylindrical side wall 3| of a recess 32 in the bolster plate 25.

Upon reference to Figures 1 to 3, inclusive, it will be noted that the cylindrical exterior surface of the pad Ii has a sliding engagement with the cylindrical inner surface 33 of the annular die section l9 and the latter is positioned in an annular recess 34 in thebolster plate by means of a wedge-shaped ring 35. The wedge-shaped ring 35 is located in the recess 34 between the outer cylindrical surface of the die section is and the adjacent inner. surface of the recess. These surfaces are tapered inwardly from the upper edges thereof and engage the correspondingly tapered side wall surfaces of the wedge 35. With this arrang ment, the die section I! is accurately p0- sitioned within the recess 34 and is held down on the plate 25 by means of the studs 35.

The upper surface of the die is tapered outwardly and upwardly from the inner cylindrical wall 33 of the die to form the frusto-conical surface il and the inner portion of this surface is connected to the upper end of the cylindrical sur-v face 33 by means of a radius 4!. As pointed out above, the annular pad ii is reciprocably mounted in the central opening through the die I! and, when this pad is in its lowermost position in engagement with the bottom of the recess 32 in the bolster plate 25, the top surface 2| cooperates with the surfaces II and 33 to form the complete die.

'Ihe pad ll, however, is normally urged to the position thereof shown in Figure 1, whe ein the radial extension 30 at the lower end of the pad Ii is in abutting engagement with the underside of the portion 4| of the die I! extending over the upper end of the recess 32. The pad is urged to this position by means of a constant pressure acting on the underside of the pad and serving to yieldably oppose the-action of the punch head l2 Continued upward movement of during the forming operation. Any suitable type of air cushion may be employed to provide the desired pressure and, in the present instance, the air cushion comprises a cylinder 42 and a piston 43 connected to the underside of the pad II at circumferentially spaced points by means of the push rods 44. 'The bottom of the cylinder 42 communicates with a suitable fluid pressure supply line in order to maintain a constant prasure at the underside of the piston 43.

The punch head I2 is secured to the underside ofthe reciprocable ram II by means of the studs 45 and is accurately positioned with reference to the ram by means of a cylindrical pilot 45 slidably engaging in registering recesses 41, respectively, formed in the underside of the ram and upper surface of the punch head l2. It will be observed from Figures 1 to 3, inclusive, that the ram is centrally recessed, as at 48, to receive the upper end of the pilot in and the latter end of the pilot is tapered inwardly slightly to insure proper engagement of the pilot in the recess. It will also be observed from the above figures that the lower end of the pilot is shaped to have a contour corresponding to the working surface of the die when the pad H is in its lowermost positionshown in Figure 3. The manner in which the punch head cooperates with the die to form the ring D is clearly brought out in the general description of the operation of the apparatus and will not be repeated at this time.

The means provided herein for stripping the ring D from the lower end of the punch, as the latter is returned to its uppermost position by the ram i3, is shown in Figures 1 to 3, inclusive, as comprising a plurality of devices 22 spaced from each other around the die II. In detail, the devices 22 are provided with brackets secured to the upper surface of the bolster plate 25 and having upwardly extending portions 5| at the inner ends thereof terminating in inwardly projecting fingers 52. The inner ends of the fingers are predeterminedly located with respect to the punch head 52 to engage the periphery. of the sheet metal ring D as the punch head moves upwardly relative to the pressure ring H. Inasmuch as the fingers 52 are fixed relative to the punch head, it follows from the above that these fingers serve to strip the sheet metal ring D from the lower end of the punch head I2.

Thus, from the foregoing, it will be observed that I have provided a relatively simple and inexpensive apparatus for forming rings of a predetermined cross sectional contour from a cupped blank by a punching operation. It should also be understood that my improved apparatus offers the possibility of expanding the tubular end of the cupped blank to its maximum extent without tearing or wrinkling the metal.

What I claim as my invention is: I

, 1. In a machine for fashioning a blank having a tubular portion and an inwardly extending flange at one end of the tubular portion, a die.

and having a substantially cylindrical surface at the lower end thereof of lessfdiameter than the die opening and movable in the adjacent end of the blank upon initial movement of the punch toward the die, said punch also having a surface extending outwardly from the upper end of the' cylindrical surface in flxed relation to the latter and effective to flare the last mentioned end of wardly into the die opening to the second named position aforesaid thereof, the outwardly extending surface of the punch conforming to the outwardly extending surface of the die and being moved by the punch as a unit with the cylindrical'portion thereof to press the flared portion of the blank against the outwardly extending surface of the die.

2. In a machine for fashioning a blank having a tubular portion and having an inwardly extending flange at one end of the tubular portion, a die having an opening therethrough with substantially cylindrical side walls and having an annular surface inclined upwardly and outwardly from the upper end of the opening through the die, means engageabie by the inwardly extending flange of the blank to support the latter in an upright position including a member mounted in the die opening for movement from a position wherein the supporting surface of said member is located substantially above the opening in the die to a position wherein said surface is located below the upper end of said opening, a punch movable toward and away from the die and having a substantially cylindrical surface at the lower end thereof of less diameter than the die opening and movable into the adjacent end of the blank upon initial movement of the punch toward the die, said punch also having an annular surface surrounding the upper end of the cylindrical surface of the punch in fixed relation to said latter surface, said "annular surface on the punch being inclined to conform to the annular surface of the die and being positioned to flare the last mentioned end of the blank outwardly as the punch continues its movement toward the die permitting the bottom surface of the cylindrical portion of the punch to engage the inwardly extending flange of the blank and to move the supporting member downwardly into the die opening to the second named position aforesaid, said annular surface on the punch also being arranged to flatten the flared portion of the blank against the inclined surface of the die during the interval the supporting member approaches its lowermost position in the die opening- 3. In a machine for fashioning a blank having a tubular portion and having an inwardly extending flange at one end of the tubular portion, a die having an opening therethrough .with substantially cylindrical side walls and having an annular surface inclined upwardly and outwardly from the upper end of the opening through the die, means engageable by the inwardly extending flange of the blank to support the latter in an upright position including a member mounted in the die opening for movement from a position wherein the supporting surface of said member is located substantially above the opening in the die to a position wherein said surface is located below the upper end of said opening, a punch movable toward and away from the die and having a substantially cylindrical surface at the lower end thereof of less diameter than the die opening and movable into the adjacent end of the blank upon initial movement of the, punch toward the die, said punch also having an annular surface surrounding the upper end of the cylindrical surface of the punch in fixed relation to said latter surface, said annular surfaceon the punch being inclined to conform to the annular surface of the die and being positioned to flare the last mentioned end of the blank outwardly as the punch continues its movement toward the die permitting the bottom surface of the cylindrical portion of the punch to engage the inwardly extending flange of the blank and to move the supporting member downwardly into the die opening to the second named position aforesaid, said annular surface on the punch also being arranged to flatten the flared portion of the blank against the 

